


Bad Day

by GoodandHorrid



Category: Free!
Genre: Comforting, Cuddling, Fluff, M/M, One-Shot, Rain, Wet Boys, bad day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-09
Updated: 2015-08-09
Packaged: 2018-04-13 21:03:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4537260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoodandHorrid/pseuds/GoodandHorrid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From a Prompt on my Tumblr:</p><p>"makorin! something light and fluffy? or something cuddly/comfort/etc (who's had a bad day? this anon!) really anything makorin where no one dies would be nice ;;"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bad Day

Samezuka Academy really wasn’t too far from Iwatobi and it was only a little bit out of Makoto’s way on his walk home, so when he found that Rin had left some of his paperwork behind last night there was no second thought to grabbing them on his way out of practice. They must have gotten mixed up with his own notes for the team when the lot of them had taken to the Iwatobi grounds to generally sit and work on homework or whatever needed done. Makoto himself had gotten a little behind in his english homework, Nagisa a bag of candy he bought last week that was about to go stale. Rin had been working hard all night on various paperworks before deciding to leave it all behind. A stack of training schedules, even if only scribbles on a paper, were probably important to the other school’s captain. Makoto waved goodbye to his teammates and broke off in the opposite direction. The ominous dark clouds hanging about, holding off until he made it to Samezuka and bursting open the second he stepped foot into the school didn’t phase him. He was just happy he had made it in before it started. Surely it wasn’t an omen. It was the rainy season.

The halls of the school were mostly sparse, the random student wandering to the library or back to their dorm. No one seemed to mind the large boy in the wrong uniform trying to remember exactly how to get around. No one seemed interested in giving directions either. But that was fine. He started in the direction he remembered the dorms being in, turned down the wrong hallway, knocked on the wrong door and was pointed very kindly in the direction of the captain’s room. He smiled and thanked the boy, --maybe one of the younger swimmers on the team? at least he was in the right area-- and continued on in the right direction. He found the door without any further incidents, raised his hand and rapped three times on the wood. He waited for a response.

Nothing.

He at least was hoping Sousuke would be around to take the papers from him. He shifted, unsure, adjusting his bag over his shoulder, then opted futily to try again. Three more knocks. More silence. Now what was he supposed to do? He supposed he could go find that younger swim team member again… Or maybe see if he could find Nitori? His eyes shifted back to the doorknob, sitting as still and silent as the grey muted hallway. He didn’t want to invade Rin’s privacy but if it was just to give him something important that he knew he was going to need… His hand grabbed the knob before he could stop it and with one quick turn --Rin and Sousuke really ought to be locking their door-- he was inside. 

The clouds overhead had darkened the room just as it had the halls, the rain spattered hard against the windows, the only sound now that the door had quietly clicked shut behind him. Makoto glanced around at the immaculate room, quickly finding familiar snapshots on Rin’s desk to mark it as his own. It was a little more personalized than he had expected, much more so than Sousuke’s clear and perfectly organized workspace, photos forced on him from Nagisa of their last summer together, the little shark plush Gou had given him for his birthday perched on top of his school books, what he could only assume was a gift from his team… whatever it was, it had the Samezuka colours at least… He smiled, forgetting himself and looking over the items on the desk after setting the papers down. He meant to find a pen to leave a note but this one was from the aquarium with another silly shark on it. Who had he gone to the aquarium with? He knew Rin wouldn’t buy something like that for himself.

He was turning the souvenir over in his hand, lulled by the rhythm of the rain and the comfort of the stillness of the room when the door slammed open, crashing hard into the wall behind it. His whole body tensed, head snapping to the figure in the doorway, pen in hand, wide-eyed, frozen in shock. He was caught, or some storm monster had come in out of the rain to eat him, or the bang had been really loud. Either way he was locked in place and waiting for whatever impending doom was sure to come his way. The figure, soaked completely through and dripping on the floor, shoulders heaving with heavy, snarling breaths, grabbed the side of the door, moved inside and slammed it back into place. Rin’s back hit the closed door as hard as the back of his fist along with it and let out a loud, long held, frustrated growl.

There was a beat of silence that felt to Makoto like five minutes, plenty of time for his fantasies of ghosts and sea creatures to morph into something much worse. Something was wrong. Very wrong. What had happened to get Rin so worked up? He felt his heart beat racing faster and faster as every possible scenario ran through his head. They only grew bigger and more dramatic as the boy at the door raised his eyes to peer through a fence of hair, dripping heavy droplets onto the floor, crimson connecting with green. Makoto swallowed, mouth opening to explain himself but the concern outweighed his own trespassing and instead it closed again, setting the pen aside, the corners of his lips tugging down, his eyebrows pulling together. 

Rin’s jaw clenched, looking away.

“Rin…”

The boy’s frown deepened at the sound of his name on soft lips, managing to turn his face even further, cheek almost touching the door now.

“Rin… did something happen..?”

Makoto took a step closer and watched the boy’s body tense, whether at his question or his movement he didn’t know but he stopped, eyebrows pulling even closer together. The silence in the room was too heavy and it weighed on his nerves. For too long the energy in the room thickened until Makoto had to open his mouth again to try, but Rin broke first and the larger boy quickly shut up to listen.

“I woke up late. Sousuke works out in the morning so he wasn’t here to wake me up.” His voice was low, quiet, gruff but controlled. This wasn’t easy, Makoto could see that. Maybe he had fought with Sousuke? Maybe that’s why he wasn’t here? It must have been a big one to get Rin so upset. They fought all the time. The worry in his stomach only twisted tighter, feeling like he would have to jump out of his skin if he had to wait any longer for the whole story.

Rin continued, “ So I had to hurry to get ready and I was late for class and I left my homework sitting on my desk, finished, but my teacher said he won’t accept it late.”

Makoto’s eyes trailed over to the desk where he had set his own stack of papers. There was a neat little pile just nearby, ready to be taken in to be graded. He wasn’t sure where this was going…

“And all day long I heard people snickering, even members of the team, everywhere I went and I didn’t find out until lunch that…”

He stopped, eyes narrowing, hands balling into tight, shaking fists. His jaw tightened, seeming to be holding something in until he finally blurted out, “I had a pair of underwear stuck to my butt all day!”

At that point he dug his hand deep into his pocket, produced a pair of light blue briefs and threw them forcefully onto the bed in one final fit. His anger subsided, fading into a defeated slouch. His eyes still turned away seemed to lose their fire, dying out into a weak flicker, his shoulders dropping and his lip trembling into an involuntary pout, voice small, “And then it rained on me.”

Makoto’s heart melted, along with the fear of the big reveal he had been expecting. It took everything in him not to coo at the sad, wet baby before him. A warm, uncontrollable smile spread onto his lips and he stepped forward with all the maternal love in his soul for his normally so strong and determined friend, wrapped his hand around his wrist and pulled him further into the room. 

“Come here.”

He left Rin in the center of the room to search through the dresser next to his respective desk. Inside he found everything he needed, and neatly folded and organized. He pulled from the drawers after only a small amount of searching, a clean, dry t-shirt, a pair of warm, comfortable pajama bottoms, and a big, fluffy towel. Everything you need to comfort a friend on a bad day. The only thing missing was a cup of hot cocoa, but that would take a little more work. Turning back, and before he could complain, --honestly, the thought was miles from Rin’s mind-- the larger, much dryer boy, draped the towel over his hair, simultaneously pulling him closer and getting to work rubbing it dry. The broad chest before him put off a comforting heat and the towel locked it in. Rin leaned closer unapologetically.

“You know,” Makoto started softly, like trying not to spook a stray cat as you offer it food. He caught Rin’s eyes with his own, forcing him to look up at him, so close to his face, “You at least have very cute underwear.”

It was just a small huff of air escaping from Rin’s lungs but there was enough frustration and franticness with the turn of his head, averting his eyes from his friend’s, that Makoto knew it held the embarrassment of a very long day for a very prideful boy. But he didn’t pull back and Makoto couldn’t help but chuckle warmly at his dear friend and that precious blush crawling over his cheeks, a smile pulling even tighter at his eyes as he continued drying. 

He held back the deeper laugh sitting in his chest and gave him a quick, more vigourous muss of his hair.

“But I am sorry.” Sincerity dripped from his voice, and he could feel the boy’s walls breaking back down. “Someone should have said something, especially your teammates.”

It was a trivial little thing. A drop in a bucket of many trivial things that built up, but it was something to focus on, Makoto knew that. After a moment Rin softened again, lip trembling back into that pout. He gave a small nod under the towel.

He knew he was safe to continue, “And it’s not fair that your teacher won’t take your paper.”

The other boy bristled, remembering the betrayal of his entire day, but Makoto was making progress, and he calmly continued, letting the towel drop down to Rin’s shoulders and around his neck. The change in pace forced him to look back up, blinking into deep green eyes and smile that warmed him even more. “But I know you. Your grades are great and I’m sure you can make it up.”

They stood like this, close together in the dim room, Rin with his hands hanging limply at his sides, Makoto holding the towel in both hands and keeping him close, just inches away. Eye locked on eye, that warm comfort lingering between them, pushing the day and any tension out beyond that closed door. Rin scooted closer again, leaning into his heat and strong chest. 

“My shoes are wet.”

It was the smallest, saddest voice Makoto had ever heard from the boy and he knew what it meant and let it happen. Rin Matsuoka, captain of the Samezuka Academy swim team, cocky, smirky, big scary senpai was done. At least for today. At least in the comfort of his own room with just big sweet Makoto to take care of him. The larger boy let out that little puff of an amused and broken hearted half-laugh and heard what he said and took over. 

“Arms up.” It was mom time.

Rin lifted his arms above his head and let his wet shirt be peeled from his body. Makoto didn’t even look (much) at those slick muscles, clenched tight in the cold air. He had seen it before and now wasn’t the time.

“Give me your foot.”

He propped his knee out in front of him so Rin could give him his foot and he wouldn’t have to sit his wet pants on the bed. Rin hesitated.

“But.. your pants will get we-”

“I’ll be fine.” He patted his thigh with his hand. “Foot.”

Rin complied. One shoe unfastened he carefully pulled it from his foot, letting him set it back on the ground. It had left a dirty wet spot but he ignored it, motioning for the other foot. That finished, shoes carefully set aside he stood, stepping back forward and reaching down to work at the wet button and zipper of Rin’s pants. For a second Rin tensed, surprised and considering stopping him, but his hands felt warm as they brushed against his skin and it felt so nice to be taken care of that he just submitted, letting the other push his pants off his hips and down to the floor with only a little effort. He sat when told to and let him take the rest of his clothes altogether, only the towel still wrapped around his shoulders. He watched Makoto move across the room to the pile of dry clothes he had already set out, overwhelmed in his weakened state at how considerate he was, helping him without a second thought. He couldn’t help the shudder at the cold, sitting here naked on the bed.

Makoto returned quickly,, noticing but not saying, and thread his bare feet through the pajama pant legs, pulling them up and pulling Rin up to stand again. He complied, and then again by lifting his arms to let the t-shirt be pulled on over his torso. He already felt a million times better and now he just felt spent. Dry, but done. Makoto read his mind again and leaned past him to pull the blankets of his bed down. He took little prompting to get under the covers, snuggling in and laying on his side to watch him.

Makoto smiled warmly again, speaking softly, “Can I get you something warm to drink?”

Rin shook his head.

“Is that enough blankets?”

He nodded.

Content, Makoto nodded back, working now to gather up Rin’s wet clothes. Rin watched him take the clothes up, dropping them into his hamper and the towel he had taken from him as well. A small pout started to crop up again, he was warm and dry but his day was still bad and it wasn’t enough. He whined softly, raising his arms up to the other boy. He caught the movement out of the corner of the eye, blinked over at his friend beckoning him over and relaxed back into a smile.

“My pantleg’s wet.” It was more of a disclaimer than anything. Rin didn’t seem to mind when he undressed down to his boxers and t-shirt, moving over to climb under the covers with the other boy. He laid down, sliding his long arm under the pillow and Rin’s head and Rin immediately moved into his chest, tucking his face up into his neck and melting into his body, he didn’t know until that moment that was where he needed to be all day.. Unconsciously their legs intertwined, the smaller boy pressing as close as he could. He closed his eyes and willed the day away, taking in the wide chest and the strong arms wrapped around him. Makoto tightened his grip around him with no hesitation.

Things would be back to normal tomorrow and Rin would fight for extra credit and start up a new, harder training regimen for his sloppy team, but for now he sighed and let himself be held. On the brink of sleep he murmured, lips brushing against Makoto’s neck, the larger boy nuzzling down into his hair. “Thank you, Mako-chan…”

Makoto would let him know tomorrow he had brought back his papers. No sense in piling on to an already bad day.


End file.
